Liquid crystalline polyethers based on conformational isomerism. XIX. Synthesis and characterization of flexible polyethers based on 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-r-4-hydroxyphenyl) ethane with H,F, CH3, Br,Cl, and CF3 as R groups

The synthesis of 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-fluoro-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane ( FBPE ), 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-chloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane ( CIBPE ), 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-bromo-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane ( BrBPE ), and 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-trifluoromethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane ( CF₃BPE ), of the corresponding polymers based on 1,5-dibromopentane ( RBPE-5) , 1,8-dibromooctane ( RBPE-8 ), and of the copolymers based on various ratios of 1,5-dibromopentane and 1,8-dibromooctane [ RBPE-5/8(A/B )] is described. The phase transition temperatures and thermodynamic parameters of RBPE-5 and RBPE-8 polymers were compared to those of the corresponding polyethers based on 1,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane ( BPE ) and 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-methyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane ( MBPE ) which were reported previously. Both isotropic-nematic transition temperatures and corresponding thermodynamic parameters (i.e., enthalpy and entropy changes) decrease in the following order of the substituent R: H > F > CH₃ > Cl > Br > CF₃. This order corresponds to the increase of the breadth of the RBPE molecules, and agrees with the similar trends observed in low molar mass liquid crystals.